Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I agree Steve.

Perhaps you could cycle filtered fish tank water through an old evaporative cooler to test the theory of whether the water would get cooler. Of course, you'd need to top up your tank regularly.

I woud also change out the same amount of water that you have lost and then replace the combine quantity. I say this becasue you will have a concentration of minerals and chems i the water from the amount that was evaporated.

Same as doing a water change, bout you will be loosing alot more than by normal evaporation, and its more convenient to change out on each top up than "guessing" when.

This is just an idea, i have no idea if this would work but....

You know how in coober pedy (never noticed how weird that name looks, maybe im just tired) they have their houses underground because its cooler, could you pump water in pipes underground to cool it down? Thats probably why the cold tap still runs cold in 40 deg pluss summers (well after the warm water in the line is flushed)

and this way wouldnt have any additional water lost to evaporation

Daniel,

Great idea. I'm no expert, but these are my thoughts;

I think the houses keeping cool by being built inder the earth is more of an insulation thing than a thermal sink thing. I wouldn't be surprised if that once the sorrounding few cms of soil around the pipe reached the water temp there would be no further heat transfer, especially if the soil was dry.

If i am incorrect with the above assumption and there is heat transfer (versus insulation) to be had then you still have a problem with picking a pipe that is both safe for the fish yet a reasonable thermal conductor. Stainless seems the only choice.

PLease don't take me as being negative

What do others think?

GD?

mmmm, i didn't think of that, so instead of cooling it down it would probably keep it warmer for longer

Yeah i was thinking the soil would be cool and absorb the heat and dissapate it into the earth

If you live in Adelaide (as I do), have you tried the SolarDome in Norwood?

sorry, I ment Soladome in Norwood.
http://www.soladome.com.au/
tell them David sent you.

Daniel- there was a link posted to a site that gives ground temps in a given area I will try and find it for you.

Steve- doesn't all of our water go thru copper pipes at some point from dam/water treatment plant?Together with added chemies.
In our plumbing there is about 10mtrs to the wet areas the rest is pvc/poly. Only 1mtr to the tap with a hose to fill the pond.

Yeh, but there is a difference with having water make a one way trip through 10M of pipe to fill you tank and awater in a closed system making multiple trip ad infinity though a copper heating coil ? Get what i mean?

Yep cheers.

Just hang a piece of sack (or equiv) over the tank, hanging down, and run the return water over that (back into the tank).
The water will cool and oxyginate before returning to the fish tank.
Keeping the fish cool !!!

http://schools.moe.edu.sg/canberra/aquaponics/aquaponics.htm

Nice, and the water returns O2 saturated

Maybe shade cloth.

coolgardie safe kinda thing. Very good.